The following is a summary of “Prognostic Factors Impacting Surgical Outcomes in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy” published in the December 2022 issue of Spine Surgery by Su et al.
Patients who have been diagnosed with chronic spinal stenosis (CSM) may be ideal candidates for surgical decompression. This procedure is carried out in the hope that it will delay or stop the course of the patients’ symptoms and enhance their ability to function. It is of the utmost importance to have a complete understanding of the prognostic factors that play a part in deciding the fate of the situation.
Diabetes, advanced age, smoking, the presence of a mental health issue, and obesity are some of the patient-specific risk factors that can significantly affect treatment results. Other patient-specific risk factors include smoking. A poorer prognosis has been linked to Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging results of T2 hyperintensity, as well as the clinical length of symptoms and the degree to which they manifested themselves.
Patients need to be informed about the efficacy of decompressive treatments for chronic spinal stenosis (CSM), and they should be given appropriate expectations based on their own individual biophysical profiles. Patients also need to be taught about the risks associated with these treatments. Patients also need to be aware of the potential side effects that can result from these operations.
